Sanitation appliance



Patented dan. 23, 1923.

CARL AHLTEEN, 0F LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

sANITA'rioN arrnrancn.

Application filed March 15, 1920. Serial No. 366,035.

My invention relates to vapor bath appli! ances and has particular reference to their use in connection with steam and heated air. The object of this invention is to pron vide a combination bed or hammock support and steamer, which is adjustable to diiferent sizes of persons and adapted for either homes or hospitals whether equipped with steam plants or not. Another object of this invention is to provide a simple, economical and readily assembled structure that may be readily assembled or taken apart, which shall occupy a minimum of space and which includes in the supporting frameworkthe necessary conduits for plain or medicated vapors by utilizing tubular frame members', vor piping and fittings therefor, that are staplerarticles of com merce and readily procured.

With the above named general objects in view `my invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter .described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and Vmore particularly pointed out in the appended claims. v

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a structure embodying my invention` with'the inlet valve shown in section; c

Figure 2 is a face view ofthe valve shown in section in Figure 1.

`Figure 43 is a section of the valve taken in a vertical plane at-right angles to the vertical plane of Figure 2Q y v ,In the several views 2 represents the main steam distributing pipe which is also caused to serve as a portion of the bed or hammocksupporting frame rails including top rails V3 and l which are also shown as tubular members butof smaller cross section than the pipe 2, and which substan tially parallel thelatter. VThe upper rails 3 ande are supported on a series of substantially. `V-shaped bearing brackets, each of which provides pair of legs or arms 5 and 6 which meet in a connective portion 7 that is `convened in conformity with the curvature of the upper side of the conduit 2 and is secured thereto by means of bolts 8 the heads, of .which 9 engage` the connective portion 7 while the bolt-nuts 10 engage the under-side of the member 2. Each of the arms 5 and 6 is'bifurcated at its upper end, or provided with a recess in the form of a pair of fixed jaws 11', in which the rails 3 and 41 are removably held, as shown.

From the rails 3 and 4 is suspended by means of buckle straps 13 and 14, or other convenient means, a hammock or bed bot tom 15 to the edges of which the straps 13 and 14 are secured. This hammock or bed bottom 15 may be made of any iiexible material adapted to comfortably support a person in a'reclining position and being Suiiiciently porous, open or perforatedto permit steam or vapor to pass through said material. The rails 3 and e together with the hammock 15 thus form substantially an independent structure adapted to be used as a stretcher or carrying portion on which a sick person may be carried and such persons bed mounted for vapor treatment.

In the upper portion of the pipe 2 are rows of perforations, preferably a central and uppermost row 16 and a row 17 at each side of said row 16, through which vapor from the interior of the conduit 2 is directed upwardly against the hammock 15 and the occupant thereof. f j

In the present embodiment of my invention the pipe 2 is shown as consisting of a series of sections or short pipe lengths 18, 19, 20 and 21 connected by T-ittings 22, 23 Iand 24. The fitting 23 includes a valve portion, the rotary core of which is designated by the numeral 25. This valve may be a standard brass gate valve, orY any two-way valve, land is, as shown, placed in the middle portion ofthe conduit 2, where it is designed to "divide said conduit into an upper and a lower bodyV portion and confine thefiow to either portion, or divide it equally as well as regulating the quantity and force of steam conduction towards either` or both ends of the conduit- 2. The details of theparticular form of valve employed for the purpose of illustrating my invention are'shown in Figures 2 and 3, Aand may be varied in any desired manner to effect the stated control without departing" from the spirit of this invention. ln Figure 1 the relation of the ports of this valve to the conduit 2 is shown,

and asvlconsisting of a bore through the portion 25 the ends of which are designated as inlet or outlet ports 26 and 27, and a bore at right angles to the bore 26, 27 in communication therewith, which iis labeled 28. In Figure 1 the position of the valve4 25 admits steam to both endsof the conduit 2,

` while a quarter revolution from the' Fig; 1

(Figure 1,) of the valve, 1whereas if rotated into the place of the port 26 steam will be admitted only' to the left hand end of said conduit and with a volume corresponding to the degreeyof opening in either instance.

Thevalve-fitting 23 has its vertical branch connectedl with a hollow post, or pipe section 30, mounted in or secured to a base 31 on which is lugs or ears 32 having screw or bolt holes 33 thereinfor screws or bolts by means of which thebase may be secured to `a floor o r platform. The `pipe 30 is the trunk memH ber of the frame as a support and the trunk feed pipe for the conduit 2, and is convenn iently assisted in supporting the pipe 2 by a pair of radius brace rods or pipes 34andk 35 shown coupled by ordinary and wellknown unions to the fittings 22 and 24. In the base 31 the braces 34 and 35` are likewise fastened by the ordinary and well known means, the

`details of which do not specifically form any part of ,this invention. `The free endsof the pipe sections 18 and 21, on the ends of the pipe 2`as a whole, are closed by the usual threaded caps or pipe end closers 36 and 37. Through a broken away opening in the base 31 the lower end ofthe hollow post and conduit .30 is shown provided with threads v38 on whichis a threaded sleeve or coupling collar 39 by means of which a steam pipe projecting up through a ioor (not shown) maybe connected. The member 39 may also represent a closer capv similar to either 36 or 37, when, as will hereinafter appear, my improvement is to be used `where no steam plant is installed, or when steam is taken into the side of the pipe 30 through ahose nipple or connection 40 which is, when not in use, closed by a cap 41 which may also represent a coupling member like the member39.

lThe hammock or bed bottom supporting frame rails 3 and 4 are attheir head-ends telescoped legs 42 and 43 of a U-shaped and 'upwardly curved head member 44 vto which the head-end --45- of the sheet or bed bottom 15 is attached and from which said head end is suspended in a more elevated position than the side edges of the bed bottom 15 and in like manner. The rails 3 and 4 serve las supports for a top blanket or covering (not shown) over the bed or hammockpreferably of sufficient width to drop over the sides of the frame and extend to the? floor 5 49- if desired to form, as it were, a housing within which the vapor is detained. l

Referring to the specific details of the valve 25 a section 'of which is shown in Figure 1 in onevertical plane and of'which a section is sho-wn in Figure 3`in a vertical plane at right Vangles tothe section plane of Figure 1. The ports 26, 27, and 28 are! in a revoluble or core portion #25.- with 'a stem 71 thereon having a reduced portion on which a. handle orhand-wheel 72 secured against rotary movement and held against longitudinal moveinent` on the portion 7 0 by a nut 73 engaged withthreads on the end of said reduced portion 70. the opposteend of the rotarymember 25, whichisslightly reduced, as shown'in Figure 3, toward the end opposite to that from which the stem 71 projects, is ra threaded Stenr76 which is not shownin sectidnlike the stem 71, and which'carries anut 7 that bears against a washer which overlaps, as shown'in Figure 3, the edges ofthe `open'-V ing through the fitting23, serving as a valve casing, for the rotary par-t 25. The. washer 75 thus prevents movement of the rotary member 25 to the4 left while its taper enlargement in the samedirection prevents longitudinal'movement of the rotary member to the right. 'Howeven as stated,

the particular form of valve is immaterial so long as whatever form of'valve is em-y ployed performs the stated functions. the threaded stem 7 6 is a nut 77 which supports Ithe disk or washer 75 on said stem. ln Figure 3 the valve is turned a quarter turn from the position inwhich it is `shown in Figurefl thus closing theucondiiit 30 to the sections 20 and 21 of the distributing pipe 2. V y Y 'The legs 42 and '43 are' shown provided with perforations orholes78 adapted 'to be engaged by stop pins 79 to lhold thefh'e'ad extension member 44I in its 4partly drawn out position to lengthenjthe bed or hammock beyond the extension shownwhre necessary. y y i y f In vthe employment ofthe above=describtd invention a temperature test is firstlhad vby covering the hammock 15 with, say, va woolen blanket kand placing between 'the hammock and blanket a thermometer, then turning on tlifesteam until the requiredte'mperatureis reached. lftoo great .thesupply of steam is lessened 'by means :of the valves and dampersdescribed. The bather then Aenthin towel or sheet'is placed thereon. A'fvbody of the bather.

ter the bather is in the hammock he places or has placed over him supported on the arches 46 a sheet large enough to reach to the ioor on both sides, thereby making an enclosure detaining the steam around the On top of said top sheet is preferably placed a blanket of the same size as the sheet and reaching to the Hoor.

When the entire body, including the head, is to be immersed in the Vapor, a towel dipped in cold water and wrung to remove excess of water. This towel is placed 0n the forehead with such additional cold towels as may be necessary. At the conclusion of the bath the top blanket is removed and the sheet under the bather is wrapped about the body and fastened to the neck to absorb perspiration. Thereafter massaging may be advantageously resorted to. After excess perspiration has been absorbed in the original sheet another sheet dipped in cold water at a temperature of from 50 to 68 should be substituted as a stimulant, ac-

cording to the persons strength, to skin action, whichmay be followed by a cold plunge if desired.

I claim as my inventionl. In a steam bath apparatus, the combination with supporting rails, of V-shaped arms on which said rails are mounted, a perforated steam conduit on which said arms are mounted, and a hammock suspended from and between said rails.

2. In a steam-bath apparatus, the combination with a central supporting stand which includes a. vertical inlet-pipe, of a horizontal distributing pipe supported by and communicating with said inlet pipe, upwardly projecting radial arms removabl;r mounted on said distributing pipe, parallel rails mounted on said arms, and a hammock suspended from said rails over said distributing pipe.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

CARL AIILTEEN. 

